20 Jan 2010

Attoub banned for 70 weeks for gouging

1:27 pm on 20 January 2010

The Stade Francais prop David Attoub has been hit with a mammoth 70 week-ban from rugby for eye gouging.

The ban has been back-dated to start on December 18 and means the Frenchman cannot play rugby again until April 22, 2011 ruling him out of the rest of the current European season and most of next term's campaign.

It is the second-most severe suspension to have been handed out for a gouging offence in the professional era, exceeded only by the two-year ban handed to Richard Nones, a prop with French club Colomiers, in 1999.

Attoub, 28, was cited for gouging Ulster lock Stephen Ferris during a stormy European Cup clash on December 12 in Belfast that the Irish province won 23-13.